DODATNI LINKOVI:Palestina/Izrael:Jonathan Cook: Is Israel at a Strategic Dead End as Palestinian "Arab Spring" Arrives?The Palestinian "Arab Spring" is arriving and Israel has no diplomatic or political strategy to deal with it. Instead on Sunday, Israel used the only weapon in its current arsenal - brute force - against unarmed demonstrators. Along the northern borders, at least 14 protesters were killed and dozens wounded, both at Majdal Shams in the Golan and near Maroun al-Ras in Lebanon. In Gaza, a teenager was shot dead and more than 100 other demonstrators wounded as they massed at crossing points. At Qalandiya, the main checkpoint Israel created to bar West Bank Palestinians from reaching Jerusalem, at least 40 protesters were badly injured. There were clashes in major West Bank towns too. And inside Israel, the country's Palestinian minority took their own Nakba march for the first time into the heart of Israel, waving Palestinian flags in Jaffa, the once-famous Palestinian city that has been transformed since 1948 into a minor suburb of Tel Aviv.

Palestinian factions react to Obama's speechPalestinian People's Party general-secretary Bassam As-Salhi said Obama demonstrated a clear bias toward Israel, particularly by trying to obstruct Palestinian efforts to seek UN recognition of a state. Dismissing Palestinians' intention to seek recognition of their state at the UN, Obama said "Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won't create an independent state." As-Salhi said Obama gave "dangerous hints" that he aimed to pursue an interim solution to the occupation. The president also failed to condemn illegal Jewish-only settlements in the occupied West Bank, As-Salhi said. The last round of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations collapsed within weeks over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to extend a partial freeze on illegal construction on occupied Palestinian land. But Obama tried to equate Palestinian and Israeli responsibility on the breakdown of talks, the PPP official said, adding that the president "evaded" the implementation of UN resolutions. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine also said Obama's speech was biased toward Israel, and ignored the need to respond to democratic changes across the region. It was out of sync with US claims to value freedom, democracy and justice, PFLP said in a statement. Obama had subdued to Israeli pressure and ignored the legitimate demands of Palestinians, the leftist faction said, particularly by trying to prevent Palestine seeking recognition at the UN as a member of the international community. Continued attempts by the US administration to restart the peace process reflected Washington's growing need to distract attention from Israel's invasions and assaults on Palestinian people, PFLP said. While the president applauded uprisings in Arab countries in demand of human rights, he said an end to the Israeli occupation "must be negotiated." PFLP accused the US and Israel of seeking a return to talks to avoid being forced to comply with international law and the Geneva Conventions.

Sirija:Activist: 44 killed Friday in Syria protestSecurity forces killed 44 people on Friday during anti-regime protests which swept Syria, with most of the casualties in the western province of Idlib and the central city of Homs, a human right activist told AFP on Saturday. "Syrian authorities are continuing to use excessive force and live ammunition to face popular protests in various regions throughout the country," said Ammar Qurabi, head of the National Organisation for Human Rights, who was reached by telephone. Qurabi said 26 people were killed on Friday in the province of Idlib and 13 in Homs. Two people were also killed in the eastern town of Deir Ezzor, one in Daraya, a suburb of the capital Damascus, one in the coastal city of Latakia and one in central Hama. The authoritarian government has responded to the protests that have swept Syria since March 15 with a brutal crackdown that has left at least 850 people dead and hundreds injured, according to rights groups. Thousands have been arrested.